Supporting device and slide rail assembly using the same

ABSTRACT

A slide rail assembly adaptable for support posts which are varying distances apart includes a sliding rail and a supporting device. The supporting device includes a supporting bracket and a sliding bracket. The supporting bracket defines two sliding slots along an extending direction of the supporting bracket, and the sliding bracket defines two sliding portions corresponding to the sliding slot. The sliding bracket is slidably connected to the supporting bracket through the sliding portion and the sliding slot, the sliding bracket is mounted to the sliding rail. A supporting device is also disclosed.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to a supporting device and slide rail assemblies using the supporting device.

BACKGROUND

A slide rail assembly in a rack-based server system is usually installed with a bracket at the front as well as at the rear, and mounted to two posts of a rack via the two brackets. As the distance between the two posts may vary with system design or due to other factors, adjustable brackets are required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a slide rail assembly.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the slide rail assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a slide rail assembly.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the slide rail assembly of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the exemplary embodiments described herein.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.

The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, “substantially cylindrical” means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series and the like.

A first embodiment is provided according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 1 to 2 illustrate a slide rail assembly 100.

The slide rail assembly 100 may include a sliding rail 40 and a supporting device 200.

The supporting device 200 includes a supporting bracket 10 and a sliding bracket 20. The supporting bracket 10 defines two sliding slots 170 along an extending direction of the supporting bracket 10. The sliding bracket 20 defines two sliding portions corresponding to the two sliding slots 170.

The sliding bracket 20 is slidably connected to the supporting bracket 10 through the two sliding portions and the two sliding slots 170. The sliding bracket 20 is mounted to the sliding rail 40, so that the supporting bracket 10 can slide relative to the sliding rail 40 to adjust the effective length of the slide rail assembly 100.

The sliding bracket 20 may include a sliding plate 210, each of the two sliding portions can be a flange 230 connected to a side of the sliding plate 210. Correspondingly, the sliding bracket 20 further includes two first bending portions 220, each of the flanges 230 is connected to the side of the sliding plate 210 through a corresponding one of the two first bending portions 220. The flange 230 can be parallel with the sliding plate 210.

In at least one embodiment, the sliding plate 210 defines a locking member 240, the sliding rail 40 defines a locking hole 430 corresponding to the locking member 240. The sliding bracket 20 is mounted to the sliding rail 40 through the locking member 240 and the locking hole 430.

In at least one embodiment, each of the supporting bracket 10 and the sliding bracket 20 includes a latching unit. When the supporting bracket 10 slides along the sliding bracket 20 to a predetermined position, the supporting bracket 10 is latched by the latching units.

For example, the latching units may include a clamping member 140 defined on the supporting bracket 10 and a clamping groove 260 defined on an end of the sliding bracket 20. When the supporting bracket 10 slides along the sliding bracket 20 to a predetermined position protruding out of the sliding bracket 20, the clamping member 140 is clamped by the clamping groove 260.

The latching units may further include a first stopping member 180 and a second stopping member 250. The first stopping member 180 is defined on an end of the supporting bracket 10, the second stopping member 250 is defined on the other end of the sliding bracket 20. When the supporting bracket 10 slides along the sliding bracket 20 to a predetermined position aligning with the sliding bracket 20, the first stopping member 180 is stopped by the second stopping member 250.

A second embodiment is provided according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate a slide rail assembly 101. The sliding bracket 20 and the sliding rail 40 in the second embodiment can be same as the sliding bracket 20 and the sliding rail 40 in the first embodiment.

The differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment are as follows:

In the second embodiment, the supporting device 200 further includes a connecting bracket 30. The supporting bracket 10 includes a cover plate 110, two third bending portions 120, and two second folding edges 130. The two third bending portions 120 are connected to opposite sides of the cover plate 110, and the two second folding edges 130 are respectively connected to the two third bending portions 120. The two second folding edges 130 are parallel to the cover plate 110. The two third bending portions 120 and the cover plate 110 form a sliding slot (not labeled).

The connecting bracket 30 may include a supporting plate 310. The supporting plate 310 defines a guiding slot 3101 parallel with the sliding slot.

The supporting plate 310 is mounted to the two second folding edges 130. Two flanges 230 are slidably connected to the sliding slot. The sliding plate 210 is connected to the sliding rail 40 by passing through the guiding slot 3101.

In at least one embodiment, the connecting bracket 30 may further include two third folding edges 320, the two third folding edges 320 are respectively connected to opposite sides of the supporting plate 310. The sliding rail 40 may include a rail body 410 and two fourth folding edges 420, the two fourth folding edges 420 are respectively connected to opposite sides of the rail body 410. The two fourth folding edges 420 are parallel with the two third folding edges 320. Each of the two third folding edges 320 is slidably connected to an adjacent one of the two fourth folding edges 420.

Since the sliding rail 40, the sliding bracket 20, the connecting bracket 30, and the supporting bracket 10 of the slide rail assembly 100 are symmetrical about an axis V shown in FIG. 5, each half mirrors the other.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, including matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A supporting device comprising: a supporting bracket defining two sliding slots along an extending direction of the supporting bracket; and a sliding bracket defining two sliding portions corresponding to the sliding slot; wherein the sliding bracket is slidably connected to the supporting bracket through the sliding portion and the sliding slot.
 2. The supporting device of claim 1, wherein the sliding bracket comprises a sliding plate, the sliding portion is a flange connected to a side of the sliding plate.
 3. The supporting device of claim 2, wherein the sliding bracket further comprises a first bending portion, the flange is connected to the side of the sliding plate through the first bending portion.
 4. The supporting device of claim 2, wherein the sliding plate defines a locking member.
 5. The supporting device of claim 1, wherein each of the supporting bracket and the sliding bracket comprises a latching unit corresponding to each other; and when the supporting bracket slides along the sliding bracket to a predetermined position, the supporting bracket is latched by the latching unit.
 6. The supporting device of claim 5, wherein the latching unit comprises: a clamping member defined on the supporting bracket; and a clamping groove defined on an end of the sliding bracket; when the supporting bracket slides along the sliding bracket and to a predetermined position protruding out of the sliding bracket, the clamping member is clamped by the clamping groove.
 7. The supporting device of claim 6, wherein the latching unit further comprises: a first stopping member defined on an end of the supporting bracket; and a second stopping member defined on the other end of the sliding bracket; when the supporting bracket slides along the sliding bracket and to a predetermined position aligning with the sliding bracket, the first stopping member is stopped by the second stopping member.
 8. The supporting device of claim 3, wherein the supporting bracket comprises: a cover plate; two third bending portions connected to two opposite sides of the cover plate; and two second folding edges respectively connected to the two third bending portions; wherein each of the two third bending portions and a corresponding one of the two second folding edges form a sliding slot; each of two opposite sides of the sliding plate defines the flange slidably connected to the sliding slot.
 9. A slide rail assembly comprising: a sliding rail; and a supporting device comprising: a supporting bracket defining two sliding slots along an extending direction of the supporting bracket; and a sliding bracket defining two sliding portions corresponding to the at least one sliding slot; wherein the sliding bracket is slidably connected to the supporting bracket through the sliding portion and the sliding slot; the sliding bracket is mounted to the sliding rail.
 10. The slide rail assembly of claim 9, wherein the sliding bracket comprises a sliding plate, each of the sliding portion is a flange connected to a side of the sliding plate.
 11. The slide rail assembly of claim 10, wherein the sliding bracket further comprises a first bending portion, the flange is connected to the side of the sliding plate through the first bending portion.
 12. The slide rail assembly of claim 10, wherein the sliding plate defines a locking member, the sliding rail defines a locking hole corresponding to the locking member, the sliding bracket is mounted to the sliding rail through the locking member and the locking hole.
 13. The slide rail assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the supporting bracket and the sliding bracket comprises a latching unit corresponding to each other; and when the supporting bracket slides along the sliding bracket to a predetermined position, the supporting bracket is latched by the latching unit.
 14. The slide rail assembly of claim 13, wherein the latching unit comprises: a clamping member defined on the supporting bracket; and a clamping groove defined on an end of the sliding bracket; when the supporting bracket slides along the sliding bracket and to a predetermined position protruding out of the sliding bracket, the clamping member is clamped by the clamping groove.
 15. The slide rail assembly of claim 14, wherein the latching unit further comprises: a first stopping member defined on an end of the supporting bracket; and a second stopping member defined on the other end of the sliding bracket; when the supporting bracket slides along the sliding bracket and to a predetermined position aligning with the sliding bracket, the first stopping member is stopped by the second stopping member.
 16. The slide rail assembly of claim 11, wherein the supporting bracket comprises: a cover plate; two third bending portions connected to two opposite sides of the cover plate; and two second folding edges respectively connected to the two third bending portions; wherein each of the two third bending portions and a corresponding one of the two second folding edges form a sliding slot; each of two opposite sides of the sliding plate defines the flange slidably connected to the sliding slot. 